Saturday, June 27, 2009

Pre-Kamp Screening process Information

Just wanted to let you know that the following email is getting ready to go out to the next session of Kampers:

Dear Kamp Family,

Your child’s Kamp term is right around the corner. We can’t wait for them to arrive!

We communicated with you in an email on June 26th about the influenza issues we have had in previous terms this summer. This email will give you further details on our new pre-Kamp influenza screening policy. While its not fool proof, we feel it will help us control some illnesses getting into Kamp. It seems to have worked well for this current term. Here’s a quick reminder of how this preventative screening will work.

Before Kampers board one of our Kanakuk Chaperoned charter buses, board a Kanakuk bus at an airport, or are dropped off by their parent’s at a Kamp they will:

1. Be required to submit a completed Health Check Questionnaire signed by a parent or legal guardian. Download the Questionnaire here.
2. Have their temperature taken. (If a Kamper has a temp of 100.5, they are not admitted to Kamp.

Any Kampers who do arrive at the airports and don’t pass the screening will be cared for by Kanakuk personnel and their parents contacted to provide their Kamper private transportation home.

It’s a simple and quick process! With your help this becomes one of the most important steps in our effort to assure a safe environment for everyone.

Our Kamp-wide influenza protocol going forward involves immediate separation of Kampers with flu-like symptoms, personal care and screening by on-site medical professionals, parental contact and testing for Influenza Type A. If the Type A quick test comes back positive, then Kampers are sent home with their parents. We are also pursuing an aggressive cleaning regimen and educating staff and Kampers on the proper use of water bottles and other personal items.

To speed up the screening process for your child’s arrival, please download the required Health Check Questionnaire from the link below or find it when you login to www.mykanakuk.com. We also pasted it at the bottom of this email for your convenience. It will need to come with your child!

Download Health Check Questionnaire

Thank you for your understanding and patience, we appreciate your support!

Blessings,
Doug Goodwin
Chief Operating Officer
Kanakuk Ministries


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2 comments:

K Parent said...

I love Kanakuk. Our three kids love Kanakuk. I respect the Kamp, its staff and leadership so much. Also, I am also in the PR profession and agree with the person who observed that you are doing a great job of communication.

With that said, I am a little concerned that the new processes in place are somewhat of an overreaction. Any kamper with a fever over 100.5 is going to be sent home and miss an awesome kamp experience? Certainly since 1926 there have been hundreds, probably thousands of kampers, who have showed up to kamp with a fever.

Your own observations said that the "flu-like symptoms they have been experiencing are relatively mild and include sore throats and fevers, and usually pass within 72 hours." That seems like normal stuff that kids everywhere between the ages of 8 and 18 have experienced since Adam and Eve had children.

I have not heard of any other organizations that deal with kids that have adopted such a stringent policy. Perhaps Kanakuk believes it is prudent and leading the way. But it pains me to think that there are a bunch of kids who could rest up for a day or too, just as they have since 1926 if they happen to be sick, and are dismissed from kamp simply because they have a fever.

Believe me, I am not a complainer by nature. In fact, I can't remember a single time I have ever said anything negative about Kanakuk. Even these comments are not meant to be negative. I simply saw something that concerns me.

Thanks for listening.

Anonymous said...

As the parent of a child with severe asthma, I am proud of the vigilance that Kanakuk is displaying in regards to this health situation. As the cases have been mild in healthy children, those with chronic conditions, such as asthma, are still at a much higher risk from this strain of influenza. My child has been a Kanakuk kamper for 4 years, and I have been so glad that health is an upmost concern for all kampers- including those with preexisting health conditions. If this were any other kamp, I would probably refrain from sending my child at this time. However, due to the
new health precautions being taken, I can rest easy knowing that my kamper and others with asthma, etc. can still go and enjoy the many spiritual and physical benefits of kamp. Thank you, Kanakuk, for all you are doing to protect our children!